How to get better faster when you have the flu, according to science

When flu season is in full swing, many of us will end up coughing, aching, and hiding under the covers as we fight off the seasonal infection. Fortunately, most people with influenza you feel better within about a week of the onset of symptoms.

However, the average flu infection can disrupt daily life and also cause risk of flu spreading. That begs a question: Are there scientifically proven ways to shorten a flu infection?

Live Science spoke to two experts to find out.

Can antiviral drugs shorten a flu infection?

The main way to reduce the duration of a flu infection is to take antiviral drugs, that is, drugs specially designed to fight viral infections, Dr. Timothy Brewerprofessor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA, told Live Science. Four antivirals are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the flu: Tamiflu (generic name oseltamivir), Relenza (zanamivir), Rapivab (peramivir), and Xofluza (baloxavir).

Tamiflu is probably the best known example of a flu antiviral. This oral prescription drug is approved for use by people who are at least 2 weeks old and have had flu symptoms for at most two days. The drug works by blocking the activity of an enzyme that normally allows flu viruses to replicate inside the body. This enzyme is relevant to influenza A and B viruses, the two main types of seasonal flu that make people sick. Thus, Tamiflu helps to the immune system counteracts infections.

There is good evidence that if you start taking Tamiflu within the first two days of the onset of symptoms, the drug will shorten the duration of your illness, Brewer said. Flu symptoms usually last about a week and clinical studies showed that Tamiflu can speed up recovery by about a day compared to a placebo.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends that patients who are hospitalized for a flu infection be given an antiviral such as Tamiflu as soon as they are admitted. Research suggests that taking Tamiflu on admission may reduce death rate by 40%compared to delaying treatment by only a few days.

Relenza, Rapivab, and Xofluza differ from Tamiflu in the way they are administered. For example, Relenza is INHALEDwhile Rapivab is injected. Medicines are also approved for groups other than Tamiflu; Xofluza it is only available to patients who are at least 5 years old, for example. There is also evidence that these drugs can shorten the duration of flu symptoms of about a day.

Close-up of a strip of Tamiflu pills held in front of a box of Tamiflu pills.

Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu, pictured above, are scientifically proven to reduce the duration of flu infection. (Image credit: HOANG DINH NAM / Staff via Getty Images)

Are there other ways to shorten a flu infection?

Some people may take over-the-counter products—such as vitamin C, zinc, or echinacea—in hopes of easing their flu symptoms and getting better faster. However, it currently exists there is not enough clinical evidence to suggest that these strategies achieve any of these goals.

A lot of research has focused on how these products specifically target the symptoms of the common cold rather than the flu. Colds are also respiratory illnesses, but they can be caused by a number of different viruses, while the flu is only caused by influenza viruses.

“If people want to take vitamin C, that’s certainly a good thing to do, but there’s no evidence that I’m aware of that it has any benefit (for the flu),” Brewer said. “Zinc is another thing that people have tried – again without any clear evidence that it has an impact on the duration of the flu infection.”

There are some drugs on the market that can treat the symptoms of the flu, but do not target the root cause of the infection to shorten its duration. For example, pain relievers and fever reducers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen can help relieve flu symptoms, Dr. Richard Zimmermanprofessor of family medicine and clinical epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, told Live Science.

However, there is a very small risk that children and teenagers who take aspirin while they have a viral illness will develop a fatal illness called Reye’s syndromewhich can cause brain swelling and liver damage. Although the exact cause of the condition is unknown, because of this link between the drug and viral infections, aspirin should not be administered to persons under 19 years of age unless advised by a doctor.

Honey has a pretty good track record for treating coughs, Zimmerman noted. However, it should never be given to children under 1 year of age as there is a risk that they may develop infantile botulism. This is because honey can be contaminated with spores Clostridium botulinumTHE the bacteria behind botulism, and babies’ immune systems are is not mature enough to control the infection.

Getting a flu shot won’t necessarily reduce your infection if you do get the flu. However, the vaccine may reduce the severity of your symptoms if you do become infected. This puts you at a lower risk of the development of serious complications of the disease which can lead to hospitalization or death, such as serious pneumonia.

Vaccination is a preventative measure for the flu, not a cure, in part because it is needed about 14 days after vaccination for the immune response to fully develop. By then, your body would have already fought off the infection if you had caught the flu in the same time window, Zimmerman said. That’s why experts recommend getting vaccinated against the flu in September or Octoberbefore flu season starts to ramp up in earnest.

In the beginning, anything you can do to maintain a healthy immune system—such as eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking, and staying hydrated—will likely reduce your risk of getting seriously ill with the flu, Brewer said. But antivirals are the best bet to shorten the illness.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice.

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